"Like many these days, Shiva sits around too much, eating rich, fatty foods and sipping sugary drinks. He has the pot belly to prove it, one that nearly touches the floor -- when he's on all fours, that is.

"At 45 pounds, Shiva is twice his normal weight and carries much of it in his belly. He can eat all the pellets he wants and snack on peanut butter, but gets barely any exercise.

"Shiva belongs to a colony of monkeys who have been fattened up to help scientists study the twin human epidemics of obesity and diabetes. The overweight monkeys also test new drugs aimed at treating those conditions."

Beaverton's Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon are featured extensively in this week's issue of the Catholic Sentinel. The sisters are celebrating their 125th anniversary with a 1 p.m. celebration Feb. 27 at the mother house, 4440 S.W. 148th Ave. in Beaverton. Learn about the religious order's history in these articles:

"We cannot wait two years for leadership. Too much damage can be done, through either overt steps to dismantle the region's growth-management strategy or benign neglect. Decisions about the Columbia River Crossing and the future of Washington County -- about how to balance industry's desire for more land with the need to protect rural treasurers such as Helvetia, our region's version of 'Brigadoon' -- must be made now."

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